Amigo Amistad

My new classes are perfectly matched to my skill level. Right now we’re working on the subjunctive which is something I know how to use but I didn’t really have the chance to use it in my classes at UW. We basically sat around and talked for 4 hours with the teacher correcting us and explaining uses for words as we went along. I feel like I know just enough to talk in those classes but not so much that I’m not learning anything new.

My class is really diverse too. There are Japanese people, one girl from China, and one girl from Brazil. I think it’s really cool that we can all converse in a language that isn’t our first. The Japanese girl and the Brazilian girl (Camilla) are both really good at Spanish. It’s a little intimidating.

After class today I signed up for the Amigos Amistad program where they set you up with a Mexican student learning English so that you can practice with each other. I thought it would be a good way to get to know the city a little better. Anyways, only about two hours later my new friend called the house and we decided to meet at 4. My host sister (Rosalinda, 23 years old) was really funny about me meeting up with him, and telling me to make up excuses so I could get out of it early because she wanted to take Jesse, Paul, and me out tonight. She said if he was boring that I should make up an excuse like that I was tired or had a lot of homework to do, but if he was friendly that I should bring him along. She’s very animated and the way she said it was really funny.

Anyway, back to my new friend. His name is Guillermo and he seemed nice enough but it was just really awkward the whole time. My confidence in my Spanish is a roller coaster ride with lots of ups and downs and this was definitely a down. I guess I’m just no good with awkward situations. We drove around for a long time and then went to a bar where we talked some more (mostly in English). We got these giant Styrofoam cups with Leon beer that they had mixed with lime juice, salt, and something spicy. It was weird. In the end we made very loose plans to see Avatar together next Wednesday (half price day in Guadalajara), so we’ll see if we actually do that.

I decided not to go out tonight because I was really tired after my outing with Guillermo and I had a lot of homework. Funny, because those were the excuses Rosa told me to give Guillermo if I wanted to go home. I just didn’t want to go anymore. In the end I think Jesse, Paul, and Rosa went out separately.

Tomorrow I’m going to meet the CEA group at LA FUENTE, a bar so famous here that it doesn’t have a sign out front and then meet up with a group of my CEPE classmates at a bar called Bananas on Chipultapec for one girl’s birthday. It should be a good night.